The present invention relates generally to merchandise display hooks, particularly of the type used in connection with apertured panel board merchandise displays, for example.
Widespread use is made of apertured panel board displays, in connection with point of purchase marketing of merchandise, particularly carded merchandise. A variety of devices are made available for the display of such merchandise, prominent among which is a two-part hook assembly, including a base element which can be mounted directly on the apertured panel board, and a wire-like hook device, which can be removably mounted in the base member.
A particularly desirable form of such two-part hook assembly of the type described is disclosed and claimed in the Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,351, assigned to Trion Industries, Inc. and marketed by that company under its trademark "Tri-Scan". The device of the present invention seeks to incorporate insofar as possible the advantageous features of the patented device while at the same time incorporating certain significant and advantageous improvement features to render the device yet more desirable and more effective for certain specific end uses.
In particular, the device of the beforementioned Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,351 incorporates a molded plastic base member in conjunction with a wire-like display element. The device of that patent, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, has many significant advantages, adapting the device for a wide variety of marketing applications. For certain end uses, however, especially where the wire-like hook element is unusually long and is designed to support heavy articles of merchandise, the use of a plastic base element tends to impose limitations, related particularly to the more limited (as compared to steel) strength of the plastic material desirably utilized in forming the base.
Accordingly, it is one of the objectives of the present invention to provide a novel and improved two-part merchandise display hook assembly, comprising separable base and hook elements, which incorporates many of the advantageous features of preexisting designs, such as that of the Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,351, in which the base member may be economically formed of sheet metal material, rather than plastic, and at the same time provide for certain additional advantages in its features and functions.
It is acknowledged, of course, that the provision of shaped sheet metal bases for two-part merchandise hooks is, in a general sense, well known and, indeed, precedes the introduction of two-part hooks utilizing plastic bases. The device of the present invention does not derive its novelty from the utilization of a shaped sheet metal base, generally, but rather to a unique and specially advantageous form and shape of sheet metal base having unique structural features which, combined with a particular but known type of wire-like display element, provides a novel and highly advantageous display hook assembly.
In part, the device of the invention is designed to utilize the same form of merchandise support hooks as do assemblies utilizing molded plastic base members, such as the device of the beforementioned Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,351. Thus, the hook devices may be utilized interchangeably with the known plastic bases of the beforementioned patent and/or with the shaped sheet metal bases of the present invention, depending on the customer's desired end use requirements.
Among the features of the invention, the shaped sheet metal base member provides for easy application and removal of the merchandise support hook element to and from the base member. At the same time, accidental dislodgement of the wire from its base member is difficult and unlikely.
The device of the invention additionally incorporates a desirable safety feature, providing for relatively free and unrestricted upward movement of the merchandise support hook, when accidentally bumped. Such relatively free movement does not, however, result in dislodgement of the hook from its mounting base.
Among the intended end uses of the new hook are in the support and display of large, heavy objects which not only exert considerable force on the supporting wire-like element, by reason of their sheer weight, but also, by reason of their size and bulk, may be located a substantial distance outward from the apertured panel board and thus may apply such weight through a relatively elongated lever arm. To this end, the shaped sheet metal base member is advantageously provided with a relatively horizontally elongated bearing foot along its lower edge, to provide greater and more effective distribution of bearing forces on the face of the apertured panel.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment and to the accompanying drawing.